United Airlines to Exit Tulum International Airport

United Airlines will completely pull out of Tulum International Airport (TQO) early next year, officially ending all service to the Mexican Riviera Maya destination.

The news was first reported by Ishrion Aviation.

United originally launched nonstops to Tulum from Chicago (ORD), Los Angeles (LAX), Newark (EWR), and Houston (IAH). While service from Chicago and Los Angeles was previously dropped, the carrier will complete its exit after ending its Newark route on Jan. 2, 2027, and its final Houston flight on Jan. 4, 2027.

For passengers impacted, United is issuing full refunds to the original payment method.

United is not the only U.S. carrier trimming capacity in the region. JetBlue, which launched daily nonstops into Tulum from New York (JFK) in 2024, has also cut its route into TQO amid softening demand. American Airlines and Delta Air Lines still maintain service into Tulum, though overall U.S.-to-Tulum seat capacity has dropped significantly since the airport opened to international flights in spring 2024.

When TQO opened, U.S. airlines rushed to dump seat capacity into the market. However, premium hotel pricing in Tulum, paired with soft leisure demand, forced several carriers to re-evaluate profitability and shift capacity back to Cancun International (CUN), the region’s workhorse airport.

CUN sits 80 miles north with over 50 airlines and 100+ direct destinations, offering massive flight frequency, usually lower airfares, and established hotel transport infrastructure that TQO is still working to match.